Government intervention can lead to authoritarianism from "summary" of The Road to Serfdom by Friedrich August Hayek
The belief that by sacrificing some freedom we can obtain more of it in the future is a delusion. The idea that government intervention can be limited to a few specific fields without expanding into other areas is wishful thinking. Once we accept the principle that the state should plan and control economic activity, we inevitably open the door to authoritarianism. The powers necessary for economic planning are inevitably also the powers necessary to enforce it. The government will need to control all aspects of our lives to ensure the success of its plans. This centralization of power is a slippery slope towards tyranny. As individual freedoms are eroded in the name of the common good, the state gains more control over our lives. The road to serfdom is paved with good intentions. Those who advocate for increased government intervention believe they are acting in the best interest of society. They fail to see the long-term consequences of their actions. The more power we give to the state, the more we diminish our own freedom. Authoritarianism thrives on the idea that the collective good is more important than individual rights. But in reality, a society that values the common good over individual freedoms is a society on the brink of tyranny. We must be vigilant in protecting our liberties from the encroachment of government control. History is replete with examples of how government intervention has led to authoritarianism. The road to serfdom is a cautionary tale of what happens when we allow the state to dictate every aspect of our lives. It is a reminder that the price of liberty is eternal vigilance. We must resist the temptation to give up our freedoms in exchange for false promises of security.
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